Search for Posts, Maps, and Topics
1) Which of the following is not a city in PORTUGAL?
A — Lisbon
B — Porto
C — Madrid
D — Coimbra
2) Highclere Castle is the grand main setting of the episodes and movies of Downton Abbey. This impressive building is located in which southern ceremonial county of the UNITED KINGDOM?
A — Cornwall County
B — Devon County
C — Hampshire County
3) True or false: BAHRAIN is an island country.
4) Nicknamed the Green Mountain State, which of the following choices gained statehood to the UNITED STATES as the 14th state?
A — Maine
B — Vermont
C — Minnesota
D — Washington
ANSWERS
Question 1:
C . . . . . Madrid — capital of Spain (↗)
Question 2:
C . . . . . Hampshire County
Question 3:
True
Question 4:
B . . . . . Vermont (↗)
Happy New Year 2026!
This is a throwback post originally posted on the Money & Geography Blog on December 28, 2015. More posts sorted by country are found in the sidebar on moneyandgeography.blogspot.com!
Click on the image above to enlarge it in a lightbox window.
The above coin set features uncirculated-condition coins of THE MALDIVES, also known as Maldives or the Maldive Islands. Maldives' currency is the Maldivian Rufiyaa, each Rufiyaa being subdivided into 100 laari. The currency's ISO 4217 code is MVR. The small, 15-millimeter 1 Laari coin encloses a palm tree within a circle and is an FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) coin. Like the coin in my image above, the 1 Laari FAO coin was first minted in 1984. The scalloped-shape 5 Laari, scalloped-shape 10 Laari, 25, and circular 50 Laari coins are also part of the FAO coin program, an international numismatic endeavor of the United Nation's FAO. This organization seek to address hunger and food insecurity issues while supporting farmers and food producers.
A loggerhead sea turtle designed by Ahmed Abbas and Maizan Hassan Manik graces the 50 Laari coin from 1995. The circular, 20.2-millimeter 25 Laari coin is comprised of a copper alloy: nickel brass (electrum). The endangered loggerhead turtle species was a common - and controversial - food source for Maldivian citizens and others. This is why the 25 Laari "turtle coin" was part of the FAO coin program. Nowadays, many Maldivian citizens are weaning off from this dietary choice and seeking to protect beloved loggerhead turtles. The 1 Rufiyaa coin is the final coin in this coin set, being specifically minted in 1996 and first minted in 1982. On all the coins, non-English text is written in Dhivehi (Maldivian) - the Maldives' official language.
Geography
The Maldives is an Indian Ocean archipelago of atolls and a country located in southern Asia, particularly southwest of India and west of Sri Lanka. The capital of Maldives is Male (Malé), which has more than 100,000 residents. More info can be found on this GeoFact of the Day Blog post.
Achieving full independence from the United Kingdom in 1979, SAINT LUCIA is an island country located in the Caribbean Sea and the Lesser Antilles archipelago. More specifically, Saint Lucia is situated in the Windward Islands — the Lesser Antilles southernmost extent. Saint Lucia is north of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and south of Martinique. Saint Lucia’s currency is the East Caribbean Dollar, and its ISO 4217 currency code is XCD. Citizens annually celebrate the Saint Lucian Independence Day on February 22nd.
● ● ● ● ● People and Places ● ● ● ● ● According to Encyclopædia Britannica, Saint Lucia’s population in the year 2020 is about 181,800 and is ranked 191st among populations of the whole world’s countries, dependencies, and territories. Saint Lucia’s national capital is Castries, which has more than 60,000 inhabitants. Other cities and communities include Canaries, Choiseul, Dennery, Desruisseaux, Grand Anse, Gros Islet, Laborie, Marquis, Micoud, Mon Repos, Praslin, Soufrière, and Vieux Fort. The official language is English, but about 87% of the population speaks Saint Lucian French Creole. An Arawakan language confirmed extinct in the 1920s, Island Carib was widely spoken among native people in Saint Lucia and other Caribbean islands in the Lesser Antilles. Over 95% of religious adherents are Christian, followed by Spiritists (1.7%), Hindus (0.9%), and Muslims (0.45%).
● ● ● ● ● Land and Water Features ● ● ● ● ● Saint Lucia is oftentimes known as the most mountainous island in the Caribbean region, and for a good reason based on its terrain and number of peaks/hills. Mostly located in the west and southwest, several peaks include Coubaril, Gimie, Gros (Large) Piton and Petit (Small) Piton, Houlemon, Marquis, Morton, Parasol (Umbrella), Rabot, Regnier, Tabac, and Terre Blanche. Situated 5.47 kilometers and 3.4 miles east of the Soufrière town, the tallest of these is Mount Gimie — standing about 3,120 feet and over 950 meters in elevation. Saint Lucia features over 30 rivers and streams, which mostly commence in the central, mountainous uplands and radiate towards most sides of the coastline.
Almost exactly in the center of Saint Lucia, the Roseau Reservoir is the largest lake and sits south of the John Compton hydroelectric dam. Saint Lucia has one of the most rugged coastlines of all islands in the Caribbean Sea. This leaves room for dozens of protective harbors, bays, and coves which are typically suitable for recreational boats. Prominent examples include Anse Chapeau, Anse Chastanet, Anse Cochon, Anse Ger, Anse Patience, L’Anse la Raye, Anse des Sables, Anse Violon, Black Bay, Canaries Bay, Chaloupe Bay, Choc Bay, Choiseul Bay, Dennery Bay, Epouge Bay, Fond Bay, Fond d’Or, Grand Anse, Grande Cul de Sac Bay, Laborie Bay, Louvet Bay, Marigot Bay, Marquis Bay, Pitons Bay, Praslin Bay, Rodney Bay, Roseau Bay, Savannes Bay, Soufrière Bay, Troumassée Bay, and Vieux Fort Bay. Finally, access this post (↗) for comprehensive information about rivers and streams throughout the country.
This post was comprehensively updated with more info on July 14th, 2017.
VANUATU is a Y-shaped island country found east of the Coral Sea and Australia; it is part of the subregion Polynesia. Vanuatu, surrounded by the South Pacific Ocean, is west of Fiji, north of New Caledonia, and southeast of the Solomon Islands. The largest island is Espiritu Santo, but the capital is not located on this island. Port Vila (Port-Vila) is the national capital found on the southern shore of a smaller island, Efate. The official languages of Vanuatu are Bislama (a Creole language), English, and French. The currency is the Vanuatu Vatu; the ISO 4217 currency code is VUV.
Map credit: National Geographic Mapmaker (↗)
TUVALU is an island country located about halfway between Australia and Hawaii. It is part of the subregion Polynesia. Tuvalu is north of Fiji and east of the Solomon Islands. The capital is Funafuti, a coral atoll with the main islet being Fongafale. Featuring national government offices, the community of Vaiaku is located on Fongafale. The official languages are Tuvaluan and English. Tuvalu's currency is the Tuvaluan Dollar, which does not have an ISO 4217 currency code like most currencies have. TVD is one unofficial currency code. Tuvaluans also conduct monetary transactions with the Australian Dollar.
Map credit: National Geographic Mapmaker (↗)
The Kingdom of TONGA is an island country and archipelago containing about 170 islands in the South Pacific Ocean. Tonga is south of Samoa, east of Fiji, and west of Niue. The capital is Nuku'alofa. First adopted in the late 1800s, Tonga's flag is red with a white square in the top-left corner, and this square features a red cross. The official languages are Tongan and English. The currency is the Pa'anga, and its ISO 4217 currency code is TOP.
Map credit: National Geographic Mapmaker (↗)
SOLOMON ISLANDS is an island country containing around 1000 islands in the South Pacific Ocean. The Solomon Islands are east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu. The capital is Honiara, which is located on the island of Guadalcanal. The currency is the Solomon Islands Dollar; the ISO 4217 currency code is SBD. The country's 50 cent coin is shaped as a dodecagon, while the dollar coin is heptagon-shaped.
● ● ● ● ● People and Places ● ● ● ● ● Samoa's population is approximately 190,000 as of 2016. About 96% of all Samoans are Christians — especially Roman Catholic — followed by worshippers of the Bahá'í Faith, Buddhism, and Chinese Universism. Samoa's official languages are Samoan (a Polynesian language) and English, while the literacy rate is over 97%. Most citizens are ethnic Samoans, while most others are Euronesians (Polynesian and European mix) or have European ancestry. The Samoan people are said to be easygoing and happy and may celebrate minor and major occasions with bountiful feasts featuring local recipes. Samoa's capital is Apia (Āpia), which has over 37,000 residents. Other communities include Asau, Sala'ilua, and Satupaitea on Savai'i island and Falelatie, Matautu, Solosolo, and Ti'avea on Upolu island. Samoan people's currency is the Samoan Tala (WS$), and its ISO 4217 currency code is WST.
● ● ● ● ● Land and Water Features ● ● ● ● ● Samoa is comprised of several small islands and two larger main islands: Savai'i to the west and Upolu to the east. Both main islands have a tall peak near the center. Designated as the largest shield volcano in the South Pacific islands, Mount Silisili stands at 1,858 meters (6096 feet) in elevation on Savai'i, while Mount Fito stands 1,113 meters (3652 feet) on Upolu. Savai'i features other volcanoes — including Mata o le Afi ("eye of the fire"), Mauga (Mount) Afi, and Mauga Matavanu — which have not erupted in at least one century. Regardless, volcanic eruptions are always possibilities, and therefore residents and the government ideally would maintain emergency plans to prepare. Rising sea levels, their associated flooding, tsunamis, and earthquakes are other possible concerns in Samoa. Apolima Strait diagonally separates Savai'i and Upolu from the southwest and northeast direction, and it contains several islands including Apolima, Manono, and Nu'ulopa.
Meanwhile, American Samoa is an unincorporated territory belonging to the United States. The main island is Tutuila, and American Samoa's capital is Pago Pago. American Samoa shares the same official languages with Samoa. Samoans use the United States Dollar.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA is an Oceanic country that occupies the eastern side of New Guinea, the second largest island in the world, and a large number of small and large islands. Papua New Guinea is east of Indonesia, west of the Solomon Islands, and south of the Federated States of Micronesia. The Torres Strait and several islands separate Papua New Guinea from Australia's Cape York peninsula. The Gulf of Papua is south of the P.N.G.-owned, eastern part of New Guinea island. The capital, located on the southern shore of a peninsula on New Guinea island is Port Moresby. The official languages are English, Tok Pisin, and Hiri Motu. The currency is the Papua New Guinean Kina. The ISO 4217 currency code is PGK, and 1 Kina equals 100 toea.
Map credit: National Geographic Mapmaker (↗)
Officially known as Beluu er a Belau in the Palauan language and the Republic of Palau in English, PALAU is an island country in the Pacific Ocean and located east of The Philippines. Palau is north of Indonesia, west of the Federated States of Micronesia, and northwest of the island of New Guinea. The official languages are English and Palauan. Palauans use the United States Dollar, although there are commemorative coins minted for Palau. Collected by numismatists around the world, some of Palau's commemorative coins exhibit interesting shapes (↗) — including angels, diamonds, hearts, and stars.
The State of Melekeok serves as Palau's national capital; the region has a population of 391 (year 2005) and a GeoFact of the Day estimate of 450 (year 2017). The state of Melekeok and the namesake community are located by the eastern coast of Palau's largest island, Babelthuap (Babeldaob). The small hilltop community of Ngerulmud is the specific legislative center where the Capitol Building is located. The National Congress creates and updates laws in this building, the architectural design of which is similar but not a copycat of the United States' Capitol Building. The most-populated city (10,743 residents, 2005) and former capital before the year 2006 was Koror, which is located on the island of Koror (Oreor). The Ngcheangel Islands are the northernmost islands in Palau; the largest islands in this group are Ngcheangel and Ngeriungs. As shown on the map above, other islands include Arakabesan, Konguaru, Ngaregur, and Peleliu (Beliliou). Visit my Islands of Palau GeoFact of the Day post (↗) for a specific look at Palau's islands.
● ● ● ● ● Capital: Melekeok or Ngerulmud? ● ● ● ● ●
Online resources usually choose Melekeok or Ngerulmud as being Palau's official capital. Several reputable organizations list Melekeok — especially the regional state and not the town itself — as the capital. Personally, I have known the capital as being Melekeok but also understand the reasoning behind Ngerulmud (a nearby town) as the capital. If you find more examples of online or printed resources listing either capital (or both capitals), please feel free to share your input by posting a comment.
Melekeok
Listed by...
● CIA World Factbook, text
● Encyclopedia Britannica
● GeoNames.org
● National Geographic
● United Nations
| Ngerulmud
Listed by...
● BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)
● CIA World Factbook, map
● U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
(geonames.nga.mil/namesgaz)
● Wikipedia |
NEW ZEALAND is an Oceanic country achieving full independence on November 25th, 1947 with the signing of the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act and New Zealand Constitution Amendment Act.* Before that monumental year, New Zealand became a Dominion of the United Kingdom on September 26th, 1907. New Zealand is known for its endemic Kiwi bird species, serving as a national symbol. The island country is about 2,000 kilometers east-southeast of Australia, 2,000 km south of Fiji, and is known as Aotearoa by its native Māori people.
● ● ● ● ● People and Places ● ● ● ● ● Citizens are typically referred to as New Zealanders or Kiwis. New Zealand's capital is Wellington, and Auckland was the former capital until 1865. Other cities include Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, Invercargill, New Plymouth, Queenstown, and Rotorua. The official languages are English and Maori. Other widely communicated native and immigrant languages include Afrikaans, Arabic, Fijian, French, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Niue, Pitcairn-Norfolk (Pitcairn English), Pukapuka, Rakahanga-Manihiki, Rarotongan, Samoan, Spanish, Tagalog, Tokelauan, Tongan, and Yue Chinese. Native and indigenous groups on mainland New Zealand are the Maori people, comprised of dozens of tribes (iwi). The currency New Zealanders use is the New Zealand Dollar, and its ISO 4217 currency code is NZD.
● ● ● ● ● Land and Water Features ● ● ● ● ● North Island and South Island are New Zealand's two main islands, and smaller islands include Chatham, D'Urville, Stewart, and Great Barrier. The South Pacific Ocean surrounds New Zealand, while the Tasman Sea separates the country from Australia. Also known as Mount Cook, Aoraki towers 3,724 meters and 12,218 feet tall and boasts the designation of highest mountain in New Zealand. The former reading was 3,754 meters and 12,316 feet until 1991, when rock and ice collapsed and started the process an abundance of erosion.
The Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau are New Zealand's island territories. They are located more than 1,000 miles northeast of New Zealand. The Cook Islands are comprised of two north and south island groupings; its capital is Avarua. Known for its collectible commemorative coins, Niue is an island surrounded by reefs. Its capital — located on the western coast — is Alofi, and other Niuean communities include Avatele, Hakupu, Huihui (Niue International Airport's location), Mutalau, Tamakautoga, Tuapa, and Vaiea. Tokelau is a capital-less territory that has three atolls; Atafu and Nukunonu are major communities.
The map was added to this post on June 26th, 2013.
* More details of New Zealand's various "independence days" can be found on this New Zealand Parliament page.
Immediately south of the Equator, NAURU is the smallest island country and third-smallest country in the world. The sparsely-populated island is located in the South Pacific Ocean, northeast of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, southeast of the Federated States of Micronesia, about 2,900 miles (4,670 kilometers) southwest of Hawai'i, and west of Kiribati. The de facto capital is Yaren, which has a population only hovering around 4,600. Displayed with thin orange borders and orange embossed text are the fourteen districts of Nauru: Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, and Yaren. Parallel to the island's whole coastline is the Island Ring Road, a fitting name for the major highway connecting all of Nauru's oceanside communities.
The official languages in Nauru are English and Nauruan. The currency is the Australian Dollar, and its ISO 4217 currency code is AUD. Nauru's former wealth accumulated in the 1960s and 1970s because of its plentiful phosphate deposits. During that time period, Nauru boasted one of the world's highest incomes per person (per-capita). In recent decades, Nauru's fortune declined precipitously when these phosphate reserves were completely extracted. Can Nauru regain its former glory? Only time will tell.
The FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA is an island nation that is part of the Caroline Islands and the subregion of MICRONESIA. Micronesia's states (from west to east) are Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae. The Federated States of Micronesia are north of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea and east of The Philippines and Palau. The capital, which is located southwest of the State of Phonpei's capital (Kolonia), is Palikir. The official language is English, though local languages are widely used here. Inhabitants of the Federated States of Micronesia use the US Dollar.
August 18th, 2013 Update: I wrote posts about Kosrae and Pohnpei.
Above map credit: National Geographic Mapmaker (↗)
MARSHALL ISLANDS is a huge region of islands and atolls, part of the Micronesia subregion. The Marshall Islands are northwest of Kiribati. The capital is Majuro. The official languages are Marshallese and English. Inhabitants of the Marshall Islands use the US Dollar.
Map credit: National Geographic Mapmaker (↗)
Officially known as the Republic of Kiribati in English and Ribaberiki Kiribati in the Gilbertese language, KIRIBATI is a huge region and country in the Pacific Ocean. This country achieved independence from the United Kingdom on Thursday, July 12th, 1979. Kiribati is north of Tuvalu and Tokelau and east of Nauru. The capital is Tarawa (South Tarawa), a coral atoll in the Gilbert Islands located in western Kiribati. National government headquarters are located in the community of Bairiki. The official languages of Kiribati are English and Gilbertese. The people of Kiribati use two currencies for monetary transactions: the Kiribati Dollar (KID) and the Australian Dollar (AUD). The map of Kiribati was uploaded to this post on October 23rd, 2016.
FIJI is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. Fiji is west of Tonga, east of Vanuatu and New Caledonia, and south of Tuvalu. The capital is Suva, which has around 90,000 inhabitants and is located on the southern shore of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. The official languages are English, Bau Fijian, and Fiji Hindi (spoken by Fijians of Indian descent). Fiji's currency is the Fijian Dollar, and its ISO 4217 currency code is FJD. During the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Fiji's Rugby Sevens team participants earned the first medal — and their first gold medal — in their nation's history. Rugby is the national sport, and Fijian athletes have competed in the Summer Olympics since 1956. The map I created above was added to this post on 9/27/2013.
Learn more about Fiji's islands by clicking here (link to 7/30/13 post)!
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO is an island country located just northeast of Venezuela and south of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Not surprisingly, the country's two main islands are Trinidad and Tobago. Also, these are the country's only islands. The capital is Port-of-Spain, which has around 50,000 inhabitants. The most-populated city is Chaguanas. The country's official language is English, with Tobagonian Creole English being the most widely spoken language. Another English-related language is Trinidadian Creole; other spoken languages include Caribbean Hindustani, Saint Lucian Creole French, and Spanish. The currency is the Trinidad and Tobago Dollar, and its ISO 4217 currency code is TTD. Trinidad and Tobago is the last Caribbean Sea country in alphabetical order.
SAINT VINCENT and the GRENADINES is a island country comprising the large island of Saint Vincent and the island chain of the Grenadines, which has at least 600 islands. Most of this country's 32 islands and cays are part of the Grenadines archipelago. Grenada, the country possessing most of the Grenadines islands, is located southward. Saint Lucia is located north and Barbados is east of St. Vincent & the Grenadines. The capital is Kingstown, which has around 16,000 inhabitants. Other communities include Ashton, Barrouallie, Biabou, Byera, Calliaqua, Chateaubelair, Dover, Fancy, Georgetown, Hamilton, Layou, Port Elizabeth, and Windward. The official language is English, while Vincentian Creole is widely spoken. St. Vincent and the Grenadines' currency is the East Caribbean Dollar, and its ISO 4217 currency code is XCD. Detailed information about the country's parishes can be found in this new post.
Officially known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, SAINT KITTS and NEVIS is the smallest country in North America. Saint Kitts & Nevis is west of Antigua & Barbuda, northwest of Montserrat, and southeast of the islands of St. Barts and St. Martin. The capital is Basseterre, which has around 15,500 inhabitants. The official language is English, and Leeward Caribbean English Creole is another language used for communication. The currency is the East Caribbean Dollar, and its ISO 4217 currency code is XCD.
JAMAICA is a relatively well-known island country with English being the official language. Jamaica is south of Cuba and west of Haiti. The capital is Kingston, which is the largest city with almost 600,000 residents. The second most-populated city is Spanish Town, with a population greater than 145,000. The currency is the Jamaican Dollar, and its ISO 4217 currency code is JMD.
Blog Content
● The author of this GeoFact of the Day Blog creates and curates original, authentic content and posts information based on established facts. Blog posts are not generated by artificial intelligence (AI) but published by the author.
● Content and image graphics from other sources are properly credited. Many geography facts are well-established and therefore do not belong to any one source, but occasionally a fact requires attribution/credit if it is unique and hard-to-find — for example, facts found from specific cultural, anthropological, geological, and scientific (etc.) research.
● I do not copy and paste from other websites. Therefore, all posts are original but may sometimes include information, links, and/or images from credited external sources. To use a GeoFact of the Day Blog image for your website or project, write a comment below a post — then I may approve your request.
● Feel free to offer comments, suggestions, and compliments on any post or page! You can be anonymous. Spam comments with non-relevant links will be deleted.
● Thanks for your loyal readership on the educational and reliable GeoFact of the Day Blog, in existence since 2008!
